it's almost like the civil war went the other way, and the south somehow took over the party of lincoln, not that there's anything wrong with the south, but it's certainly made your party into a right wingish party. >> well, we're not going to be a national party of social conservatives basically destroyed any possibility of people in the northeast from getting elected who are republicans. it's just not going to happen. it's not the fiscal side that's of concern to people up north. it's their social agenda, which has nothing to do with running the country. >> did you ever read the republican platform this year? you ran for office this year. did you take a look at some of the stuff in there about outright -- >> chris, you know that no congressman ever has read the platform whether they're conservative or liberal. it's the most irrelevant document, but ultimately it can hurt some people who, you know, when others read it. it doesn't tell us how to vote. it's useless. >> i read it once in a while with great pleasure because it's so absurd. it is. howard fineman, i don't know who these turk